Bath and bathing therapies have been known for centuries. Thousands of years ago, wealthy families used scented and anointed waters to alleviate a virtual array of ailments ranging from minor muscular discomfort to life-threatening disease.
This trend continues today with the widespread use of commercially available bath salts. People use them to look more beautiful and smell great. People also use them to improve their mood and overall well-being.
Bath salts benefit the skin in many ways. Bath salts contain many beneficial minerals and nutrients that keep the skin smooth, soft, and supple. Some of the minerals found in bath salts include magnesium, potassium, calcium, bromide, and sodium. These minerals are easily absorbed into pores and cleanse and purify the skin on a molecular level, improving the skin's radiance, tone, and texture.
The minerals in bath salts can provide a variety of benefits. Magnesium helps fight stress and combat fatigue. Calcium keeps water retention in check, promotes healthy bones, and can help stave off osteoporosis. Potassium balances moisture levels in the skin. Bromide soothes tired, sore muscles. Sodium plays a significant role in managing the balance of lymphatic fluid in our bodies. Bath salts benefit not only the skin, but the entire body.
Bath salts can also help detoxify the skin. Warm water opens the pores, allowing the minerals in the bath salts to deeply cleanse the skin. Bathing in a solution of warm water and bath salts draws out impurities, pollution, oil and dirt from the skin. Bath salts can even bring the added benefit of looking younger. Regular use of bath salts and bathing decreases the appearance of fine lines by plumping the skin and balancing moisture.
The benefits of bath salts are not just skin deep. Bath salts harvested from the dead sea have been shown to effectively treat and manage symptoms of osteoarthritis and tendinitis. In recent studies, people with these conditions were given a dead sea salt bath solution at levels of 0.5, 7.5 and 2 percent dead sea salt concentration. The condition of those who received a solution with more dead sea salt improved after just a few weeks of treatment. In various studies, regular bathing in bath salts for as little as a few weeks has reduced or eliminated symptoms such as itchiness, insomnia and psoriasis in patients.
The benefits of bath salts extend beyond the time in the tub. After bathing, people feel calm, relaxed, and happy. Bath salts infused with essential oils such as lavender or chamomile can soothe people and prepare them for a good night's sleep. If people take a bath first thing in the morning, bath salts infused with citrus or green tea essential oils perk them up so they can begin the day with focus and energy.
Magnesium chloride is one type of traditional bath salt. It provides many of the benefits already mentioned but suffers from a number of drawbacks. For example, it cannot be uniformly dyed other colors or effectively scented. This has limited the use of magnesium chloride as a bath salt.